A Tour of the Program: The University and Tucson

The University of Arizona

We are part of a large university community that provides many opportunities for intellectual, social and political stimulation. The UA Recreation Center is available to all graduate students, as well as faculty, staff and undergrads. Facilities include a swimming pool, gymnasium, indoor track, racquetball & squash courts, sand volleyball and a weight and exercise room.

The UA library has 12 branches and houses the congressional papers of Morris K. Udall and Stewart Udall. The librarians provide useful reference help, and are willing to meet individually with graduate students to aid in class projects, theses or dissertations. The library is conveniently open 24 hours a day most of the week, and students have full access to the stacks at most branches.

The City of Tucson

Located within the Sonoran Desert, with beautiful views of the Catalina Mountains, Tucson enjoys a great diversity of culture, geography, and entertainment. Nearby attractions like Old Tucson Studios, the internationally-known Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and the Reid Park Zoo are fun places to visit, and there are dozens of University and community events throughout the year, from the Tucson Gem Show (known as the largest gem show in the world), to the Greek Festival, to Major League Baseball Spring Training.

Because of our mild weather, walking to school is both feasible and pleasant. If you choose to live farther from campus, you don't have to drive. The university offers a special discounted bus pass to university students, and there are a number of lines designed to intersect with the university. If you're interested in biking to school, you're also in luck. Tucson has been designated one of the top bike-friendly communities in the United States. There is a series of bike paths and bike lanes that can take you quickly and safely to campus.

One of the great things about Tucson is that it's so close to great things outside of Tucson. In a few hours' time, you can hike (or drive) from a desert basin to a Canadian-style pine forest 6000 feet above the valley floor. A huge variety of outdoor vistas can be found just minutes outside the Tucson city limits. If you'd like to learn more about activities in the Sonoran desert, check out these Arizona outdoors web sites. The UA also offers an online photo tour of Tucson; if you can't make it for a visit, you can at least check out the view!